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Advice needed on old (new to me) Naim SBL system

R

RaphaelSamad

pfm Member
In the past I have been up and down the Naim amplifier/CD player/Tuner ladder but never much into their speakers. Nowadays, to maintain domestic harmony and maximize use, my system is now in my study (which was a dining room!). I am home-based so my study is used a lot.
To scratch a long-term itch, I recently got hold of a pair of Naim SBLs. Around 18 years ago the bass drivers were updated (not sure to what or why). Around 16 years ago the tweeters were replaced and the crossovers checked. A few years ago the gaskets were replaced and, on setting them up, I did the seals with silicon sealant and liquid soap.
Anyway, the speakers, to my ears, actually sound amazingly good and they fit into my room really nicely. Test content played through the system seems to all sound just fine. Also, as the drivers slope up, they do deliver a sound more directed to my listening position in an office chair. However, I keep wondering if I should get something to raise the speakers up a bit - Mana Soundbases (difficult to find) or something like that?
Speaker Grilles - The grilles that came with them are falling apart and I need to purchase a new set. I have seen that there are several organisations/people selling replacement sets at different prices. Whilst I do not want to spend more than I need to, I also don't want to 'buy cheap and buy twice' - does anyone have any recommendations on which ones are best?
Amplifier - My main source is an Auralic Aries Streamer/DAC with Melco storage and Tidal streaming - one day I might install a CD player and one day, further in the future, I may get a record deck again but this is a long time away so I think that a phono stage is nice but not essential. I am currently using what I already had for an amplifier and this is a vintage unserviced A&R A60. This does actually sound pretty good but I do wonder if a change to something more powerful, more dynamic and 'clearer' would be a good idea - the A60 delivers a cohesive/blended sound but I suspect that others will deliver more pace, rhythm and dynamic bass and will 'get hold' of the speakers better. This is a study system and I have neither the wish nor the money to go up to a 52/135 again, as superb as it was. Also, being in a study, it does not need to go too loud. I am wondering if a second hand NAIT 3, NAIT5 or NAIT 5i or something like this would be a good move. A bit of me also wonders if a simply more powerful second hand amp from a different manufacturer would work well - does anyone have experience of using, long term, a non-Naim amplifier with SBLs? I have wondered about something from Exposure or Arcam - both very different of course.
I realise that the speakers will benefit from a full service and the best amplification that money can buy but I am trying my hardest to maintain modest expenditure (and minimal upgraditis!) on what is, after all, a study system.
Any advice or thoughts would be gratefully received.
 
SBLs can sound great or very poor. It usually depends on the set-up of the speakers.
Sounds like you might have the mark 2 woofers. The outer edge of the mark 1 woofer has a small lip; the mark 2 doesn’t.

Unsurprisingly, the speakers are rather nice with Naim amps. You could use a Nait (especially if you only listen at modest levels). Any improvement in the amp will be heard in a properly set-up pair of SBLs. The speakers are quite easy to drive so will work with just about any decent amp. The best pair of SBLs I have heard were used with a Teddy Pardo amp and were quite superb. On the subject of speaker height, I would increase the height if there is a problem with furniture in the room in between the speakers and your listening position (dining table perhaps ?).
I would be inclined not to worry about getting the speakers (crossovers serviced) to keep costs down. Probably better to make sure that they are set-up properly. Check the aluminium pads !
 
I wouldn't worry much with another amp using streaming as source.
A Nait or Exposure (Farlowe vintage) would be fine.
Guess Rega, Heed, older Onix, Ion, Creek etc would match.

A high spec turntable and separates will certainly make SBL sing.
 
Thank you so much for everyone's comments so far. Also, for everyone understanding that I do not want to develop The 'killer' system! - more that I just want to hear good music in my modest study. Years ago I got really carried away and am trying my hardest not to do so again.

@Stemcor - thank you for your thoughts about my SBLs. I am really pleased with just how good they are, as you suggest I shall just leave them alone. I do not need to raise them to clear any furniture, it was more about my sitting position at my desk being well above sitting on a sofa or living room chair. I shall probably just leave this for now and focus on other priorities.
@PerF @Woodface - thank you for sharing your ideas on amplification. I shall keep a lookout for something but I am definitely very impressed with how good the old A&R A60 that I have had for so many years sounds.
@Bob McC @robs @nobeone - Thank you for your suggestions regarding the replacement grilles. I shall order a set as you suggest.
 
They were almost exclusively sold with Naim amps. Unsurprisingly, Naim suggested that would be the only thing that would be any good at the time. I do remember demoing them with Cyrus mono amps on multiple occasions successfully, so there’s a lot of amps that will be suitable. The better the amp, the better the sound, as ever, as long as the source is good enough, as ever.
 
I've had SBLs with various bits of kit over the years (currently NDX/XPS/52/135s)
Try to find a decent priced 62/180 - that's what I had with my first pair of SBLs & they were stunning.
They're not as sought after as 72/140 for some reason & can be picked up for not *too* much ;-)
 
@pocketkitchen - thank you for sharing your experience - I did always like Cyrus amps! As you suggest, the better the amp, the better the sound as long as the source is good.
@lerxxst - I did wonder about a 180 with a pre-amp of some sort, hmm, perhaps I shall have to look out for something like this.
 
RaphaelSamad said:
@pocketkitchen - thank you for sharing your experience - I did always like Cyrus amps! As you suggest, the better the amp, the better the sound as long as the source is good.
@lerxxst - I did wonder about a 180 with a pre-amp of some sort, hmm, perhaps I shall have to look out for something like this.
Click to expand...

I have a serviced Nap 180 with 62, its excellent and with Hicap even more, though in hindsight, should never have sold my Nac 72.
Nap 180 is basically a 140 amp boards are identically as far as I know.
The transformer is either from Nap 250 or Hicap.
 
I've tested SBLs with various amps over the years and they're remarkably tolerant. Remember that Naim used to test Nait1s into them with all of 12W of output.
Keep the A60 and get it serviced, it's a great little integrated. I had one in the workshop a while back into the SBLs and I firmly believe that little amp is why Naim produced NAITs in the first place.
 
@MJS - you are not wrong. I thought that SBLs would be 'difficult' but they are actually not so. I remember buying my A60 back in the early 80s and it was second hand then. Since then it has been occasionally used and stored in the loft until recently. I have been very impressed by just how good it sounds. Perhaps, I shall do as you suggest and just keep a casual look out rather than actively looking.
 
First time I heard SBL was late 80's, through LP12, Nap 250 based, the guy knew what he was doing, it sounded superb - like sitting in the audience yourself.

Setup and knackered cross-over solderings, might be culprit for reduced performance nowadays.
Not sure Naim can support crossovers but there might be alternatives.
 
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